US president Barack Obama said bin Laden, the most-wanted fugitive on the US list, has been killed on Sunday in a US operation in Pakistan

US president Barack Obama said bin Laden, the most-wanted fugitive on the US list, has been killed on Sunday in a US operation in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, north of Islamabad.

"Tonight, I can report to the people of the United States and the world, the United States had carried an operation that has killed Osama Bin Laden, a terrorist responsible for killing thousands of innocent people," Obama said in a statement.

"Today, at my direction, the United States carried out that operation... they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body."The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date against al-Qaeda. "We must also reaffirm that United states is not and will never be at war against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader, in fact, he slaughtered many Muslims," Obama said.

As the news of bin Laden's death spread, crowds gathered outside the White House in Washington DC to celebrate. 

Former US president George Bush called his death a "momentous achievement". "The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done," Bush said in a statement.

During the Sunday US operation, three other men -- including a son of the al-Qaeda leader -- and a woman were also killed. Two other women were also injured in the raid that lasted less than 40 minutes, US official said.

According to Al Jazeeera's Rosalind Jordan in Washington, the operation had been in the making for the last nine or 10 months.

Afghan officials described bin Laden's killing as a "symbolic victory", since he was no longer directly connected to the group's field operations.

Besides September 11, Washington has also linked bin Laden to a string of attacks - including the 1998 bombings of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2000 bombing of the warship USS Cole in Yemen.